Alto de La Campa

Overview

Alto de La Campa is a compact but serious category 2 climb that packs a real punch into just 5.4 km. From a low start at 52 m, the road hauls you up to a 383 m summit, a net gain of 331 m over its length. That works out to an average gradient of 6.19% — steep enough to keep you honest the whole way, but short enough that a strong, controlled effort can carry you over the top without cracking.

The headline number that defines this climb is the 9.96% maximum. That near-double-digit ramp is where the difficulty lives, and knowing where your limiter sits will shape how you ride the entire 5.4 km. This is a climb of shape and rhythm rather than sheer duration.

How the Gradient Unfolds

With a 6.19% average and a 9.96% peak, the spread between the mean and the maximum tells the story: the gradient is not constant. There are stretches noticeably easier than the average and pitches that spike well above it, all the way to that 9.96% wall.

The recorded total ascent of 309 m sits just below the 331 m net gain, which points to a road that climbs almost relentlessly upward with little relief — there is barely any descending to claw back. In practical terms, once you start the 5.4 km, you keep going up. Expect the hardest sections to bite where the slope leans toward 9.96%, then ease back toward and below the 6.19% average on the gentler ramps. Reading those transitions is the key to riding La Campa well.

Pacing Notes

Because this is a short climb with a punchy top end, pace it off your threshold. Riding at or just below your FTP lets you absorb the 9.96% spikes without going into the red early. On a 5.4 km effort, the temptation is to hammer the first ramp — resist it, because the steepest pitches can arrive after you've already committed.

If you don't know your threshold, estimate it first with the FTP estimator, then work out the power you can hold for the roughly 20-plus minutes this climb will take most riders. Settle into a sustainable effort on the 6.19% sections and allow a measured surge over the steepest ramps, easing back the moment the gradient relents. Steady beats spiky on a climb with 331 m of gain compressed into so little distance.

Gearing

The 9.96% maximum is the number that dictates your cassette. A compact 34-tooth chainring paired with a 34×32 low gear is the sensible baseline for most riders here, giving you enough range to spin through the steepest pitches rather than grinding them. If you climb at a lower cadence, carry extra weight, or simply want insurance for the 9.96% ramp late in the 5.4 km, step up to a 34×34. That slightly easier ratio keeps your legs turning over on the max-gradient sections and protects your effort for the run to the 383 m summit.

Summary

Alto de La Campa is a short, steep category 2 test: 5.4 km at 6.19% average with a 9.96% sting, lifting you 331 m from valley to summit. Pace it off threshold, gear for the steep ramps, and it rewards a controlled, rhythmic effort.

Length: 5.4 km
Average gradient: 6.19%
Max gradient: 9.96%
Start: 52 m
Summit: 383 m
Net gain: 331 m
Total ascent: 309 m
Category: 2